New round of winter weather approaches Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - First Alert Stormteam Meteorologist Steve Caparotta said another round of wintry weather is on the way for much of the Deep South over the next couple of days. Winter Storm Watches, Warnings and Advisories extend all the way from Texas to the mid-Atlantic.

In Louisiana, a Winter Storm Watch is posted along the I-20 corridor, including both Shreveport and Monroe. A wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow is expected to begin in these areas as soon as Wednesday afternoon, with the primary concern being freezing rain accumulations that could near a quarter-inch in spots.

The Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is monitoring the conditions across the state and advise people to use caution when traveling around in impacted areas.

Closer to home, no advisories are currently posted, but Caparotta said parts of the viewing area will once again flirt with freezing rain and/or sleet by Thursday morning, particularly those northwest of Baton Rouge.

Caparotta said an Arctic cold front will blast through the area early Thursday, taking midnight temperatures from the mid to upper 60°s down to the 30°s near or shortly after sunrise in many spots. Tuesday's guidance hints at a somewhat slower arrival of the cold air, meaning that subfreezing temperatures and moisture may not quite link up in time to produce wintry precipitation in the viewing area, but it remains a close call.

Given the forecast uncertainties, Caparotta encouraged everyone to monitor the weather closely over the next couple of days, even though current projections indicate the primary threat stays to the north of the viewing area.

Daytime temperatures on Thursday will likely be stuck in the 30°s for most, with wind chill values in the 20°s. So, regardless of precipitation, it will be a dramatic change in the area's weather from highs in the low 80°s on Wednesday to temperatures nearly 50° colder 24 hours later!

Caparotta said there's one more outside chance at wintry precipitation Thursday night into Friday morning if moisture lingers in the area, but most guidance keeps the viewing area dry even as temperatures drop below freezing.

RNN Staff

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